SO hard to construct an avatar I really like!

[Jagdish Indiawood]

So I've been having a lot of trouble finding a suitible shape and skin for my new avi - it's becoming particularly frustrating because it feels so close but yet so far away and I don't think I'm being overly picky.

I'm looking for a high quality skin - dark in complexion with nice musculature. Then, I'm looking for a shape that works well for a young male/ teen boy but I don't want a crazy femboy shape deal.

I've spent hours looking both in the marketplace and in-world but I just don't seem to be finding what it is I'm looking for.

So what should I do? Change my tastes and expectations a bit? Go the custom avi route and try to find someone make exactly what it is I'm looking for?
I was hoping that someone would have some suggestions as to where I could search specifically.

Comments. Suggestions. Help? lol

[iCade]

Have you bothered to mod a shape? If you shop for exactly the shape you want its like finding a needle in a haystack. Get one that comes close and is mod, and then right click your avatar, go to appearance -> edit shape and play around till you get it right

[Jagdish Indiawood]

I hadn't really thought about taking that approach but won't that effect how the skin looks on the shape?

[UncommonTruth]

Yes to an extent it will. Isn't that the point? If you just need a little tweek here and there to make it what you want it'll just make a little difference here and there.

[Ry0ta Exonar]

If you post a picture of what you are trying to make your avatar look like, someone might be able to help you find them.

 

[KlistiesSeMio Ewinaga]

I think the best approach to making an avi you're happy with is finding a skin you really really like, then, like Cade said, if you don't want to start from scratch with a shape, find one close to what you are looking for. When you find something within the same vicinity (ie - don't get a muscled-bound shape if you want a slender shape lol), you can edit on your own from there.

I find it very helpful in the long run if you learn how to make your own shapes. Once you get the hang of it, you can make every shape you've ever wanted and tweak your shapes easily to fit different needs.

[Melita Magic]

What is a "crazy femboy shape?" 

Do you have what you want firm in your own mind? The description is a little muddled. 

Maybe you can post pix that are similar to what you would like to find in an avatar.

Finding a skin you like and making your own shape to fit it is probably your best option.

[MoiselleErin Teardrop]

The skin and shape are exclusive of each other. They do effect each other but usually unless a skin is specifically made for a particular shape it will work with other shapes.

 

Well for example, I once bought a complete avatar from some shop called Fluffy Girl. The shape was WAY too huge but I liked some of the other things that came with the avatar.One being the skin. ONly problem I had was the upper lip looked smudged.

 

Anyways creating the perfect avatar for your own taste is not easy. It is an art. You don't just run out and buy a skin and shape and be done (unless you are not picky).

 

Making a skin is very difficult but making a shape is not. With the shape, you just have to go back and forth fine-tuning adjustments to get things where you want. The hardest parts there seem to be the jaw and the nose.

[Jagdish Indiawood]

In terms of skin color/complexion - something like this. Not a matte color/shade like in anime of course though.

In terms of shape and musculature on the skin I'd like something like this:

A body type relative to a young male. Thin but still masculine in nature.
My problem with the shapes I've been finding for boys and younger males for the most part have a feminine nature about them. I don't mind the more 'cutesy' faces but the body types that are built on the female model and sport wide hips and rounder bottoms. I've tried simply switching a modable shape over to the male model but weird things happen (imo) and I still don't get the shape I'm looking for.

How would I go about making my own shapes and skins? (*begins googling tutorials*)

[Ry0ta Exonar]

JOMO

These skins in the pic are the darkest tone and the least muscular. They have 5 or 6 skin tones and 3 grades of  muscular development for each skin line. A shape included. You can modify it to your taste.

 

[Coby Foden]

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Jagdish Indiawood wrote:

In terms of shape and musculature on the skin I'd like something like this:

A body type relative to a young male. Thin but still masculine in nature.

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For some strange reason SL male avatar shape has been made so that it tends to look "good" ("good" meaning smooth without bad mesh deformation) only when it is relatively tall, has big bone structure and is very athletic type with biggish muscles.  When one tries to make it slim, not overly athletic in muscles and not very tall, more like a general guy looks in RL, strange things will happen. For example at the back near the shoulders bad looking spiky mesh deformation happens.  One of my friends who keeps his avatar about 1.85 metres tall, not muscular type and slim suffers from this problem.

It's a real pity as lots of male avatars are far too muscular and too tall.  At least for my taste.  :smileyfrustrated: :smileytongue:

[KlistiesSeMio Ewinaga]

Actually the way sl avi mesh works, the men look WORSE when they are muscular. The muscles do not end up in the correct place nor do they bend correctly. I find it easier to make good, more realistic male avatars when I make them a touch more slender and not all hulked out.

These are two of my male avis. They are both rather slender, but they have some definition. The one on the right is taller and more broad than the left one, but they still keep similar proportions.

[Perrie Juran]

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KlistiesSeMio Ewinaga wrote:

Actually the way sl avi mesh works, the men look WORSE when they are muscular.

The muscles do not end up in the correct place nor do they bend correctly. I find it easier to make good, more realistic male avatars when I make them a touch more slender and not all hulked out.

These are two of my male avis. They are both rather slender, but they have some definition. The one on the right is taller and more broad than the left one, but they still keep similar proportions.

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Can you post a rear view of these Avatars.  The shoulder blades area are often times the problem we see. 

Thanks

Perrie

 

[Coby Foden]

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Perrie Juran wrote:

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KlistiesSeMio Ewinaga wrote:

Actually the way sl avi mesh works, the men look WORSE when they are muscular.

The muscles do not end up in the correct place nor do they bend correctly. I find it easier to make good, more realistic male avatars when I make them a touch more slender and not all hulked out.

These are two of my male avis. They are both rather slender, but they have some definition. The one on the right is taller and more broad than the left one, but they still keep similar proportions.

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Can you post a rear view of these Avatars.  The shoulder blades area are often times the problem we see. 

Thanks

Perrie

 

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Indeed, that's the problem my friend has with short (about 1.85 metres tall) slender male avatar.  In many poses and animations the shoulder blade area looks really bad with with some sharp protrusions.  However much he has tried to make it look good, no luck so far.

 

[KlistiesSeMio Ewinaga]

Looks like this. I've never really noticed any issues before, tbh. Only poses that make my avi's arms do a grand gesture causes any sort of spiky look, but that happens on all my avis.

[Coby Foden]

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KlistiesSeMio Ewinaga wrote:

Looks like this. I've never really noticed any issues before, tbh. Only poses that make my avi's arms do a grand gesture causes any sort of spiky look, but that happens on all my avis.

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How tall is this avatar (prim height / agent height)?  My friend's avatar shoulders look quite ok in this kind of pose where the shoulders are a bit forward and the back is roundish.  The shoulder blade spikes appear immediately when the shoulders are a bit more towards the back.  It happens also when the shoulders are raised a bit.